Several factors influence spark timing for an internal combustion engine, such factors include, but are not limited to, engine compression ratios, engine speed, combustion chamber design, octane rating of fuel, air temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, turbulence in the intake manifold, fuel vaporization, and engine load. To prevent misfires within the engine, a spark lasting long enough with sufficient energy to ignite the compressed air/fuel mixture is needed to ensure proper firing of the engines. Engine speed, particularly in racing or other high-performance vehicles, has increased tremendously over the last ten (10) years. As a result of increasing engine speeds and compression ratios, the timing for initiating combustion must be adjusted and efforts must be taken to prevent the extinguishment of the spark in order to prevent misfires and/or incomplete combustion at high revolutions per minute (RPM). As a result of the increased engine speeds, engine compression ratios and engine misfires at high RPMs have increased, thus causing insufficient combustion of the air/fuel mixture resulting in decreased power and emissions.
Currently, ignition systems, particularly, engine systems that are configured or adapted for racing or high performance applications have only one high energy spark for all RPM ranges, or multiple sparks below 3,000 RPM without misfire. Some solutions have been to use a capacitive discharge ignition (CDI); however, these solutions can be ineffective at higher RPMs. The turbulence within the engine at high RPMs can extinguish the spark, thus resulting in incomplete combustion of the air/fuel mixture, and thereby result in reduced power. Additionally, misfires or incomplete combustion of the air/fuel mixture, may occur as a result of charge stratification, where the air/fuel mixture is not a homogenous ratio, or lean air/fuel mixtures.
Also, current ignition systems using older technology do not provide for the adjustment of the ignition coil voltage for varying RPMs and result in a shortened useful life of the ignition coil, distributor cap, spark plug wires, and spark plugs. Therefore a need exists for the active adjustment of the energy provided to the ignition coil for varying RPMs or engine loads.
A need exists for an ignition module and ignition system capable of preventing and/or mitigating against misfires as a result of charge stratification or lean air/fuel mixtures within the combustion chamber of a cylinder. A need exists for an ignition module, and ignition system capable of multi-spark and/or continuous spark at high RPM to reduce and/or eliminate engine misfire in excess of about 3,000 RPM for four stroke engines and up to 30,000 RPM for a two stroke engine.